Drive chains for shipment



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

J. D. STORIE.

MACHINE EOE PEEPAEING DEINE CHAINS EOE SHIPMENT.

No. 443,303. Patented Deo. 23, `1390.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.,

( No Model.)

J. D. STORIE. MAGIIINE EOE EEEEAEING DEIVE CHAINS EOE SHIPMENT. No. 443,303.`

Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

@50i/Ineas@ o UNITED STATES,

PATENT FFICE@ MACHINE FOR PREPARING DRIV-CHAINS FOR SHIPMENT.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,308, dated December 23, 1890.

Original application filed October 2l, 1889, Serial No. 327,732. Divided and this application fil ed February 18, 1890. Serial No.

340,952. (No modeh) T0 a/ZZ whom t may conceive:

Be it known that I, JAMES DOUGLAS STORIE, of the town of Oshawa, in the county and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Machine for Preparing Drive-Chains for Shipment; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention is intended to provide a simple and effective means of dividing up the long lengths of chain kept in store in coils into smaller lengths, in which such chain is usually purchased, and of winding the same into compact coils for shipment.

The measuring devices consist of aspindle, upon which the large coil is mounted and can be rotated, and anumber of pins at a distance from the spindle, in connection with a table (preferablyhavingmarked onitssurfacescaledivisions corresponding to the different sizes of links in different chains) on which the smaller lengths will lie, the end of the large coil being drawn to one of the pins and any specified length in links of the portion of chain thus unwound disconnected from the main length.` For compa'ctly winding the lengths thus measured off, an adjustable yielding-resistance device operates, in connection with a winding-key similar to that shown and claimed in a contemporary application, Serial No. 327,732, led October 2l, 1889, for Letters Patent, and nowpending, of which application this present one is a divisional part, such key consisting` of a vertical spindle having a headpiece that projects through an opening in the table, and which also has a vertical slit in it to receive the end link of the chain, and has its sides configurated to suit the shape of the center of the coil formed bythe straight surfaces of, say, the first three or four links encircling it, the shape being approximately quadrangular. For full comprehension, however, of the invention reference must be had to the annexed drawings, in whichd Figure l is a plan ViewV of the machine, a

coil of chain being indicated on the spindlev by dotted lines; Fig. 2, a similar View showing a length measured off; Fig. 3, a front view of machine. Fig. fi is a view of part of under side of table; Fig. 5, a vert-ical cross-section of machine; Figs. (i and '7, details of parts of yielding-resistance device; Fig. 8, a detail showing winding key or spindle depressed below the level of the table, and Fig. 9 an enlarged detail of head of said spindle.

Like symbols indicate corresponding parts.

A is the table, suitably supported by legs A and having openings a a2, an aperture as, and slot u in its surface.

T is a horizontal bar or spindle projecting at a convenient height across the table from a support T situated about centrally of the machine and at. the rear thereof,and t t are pins arranged at the right-hand end of the table.

To measure the lengths of chain from the large coil in store, this coil is slipped onto l the spindle T, and according to the length of its links corresponding with one of the scaledivisions marked on the table it will be pushed along the spindle into line with such particular scale. The operator now takes the outer end link of the coil and unwinds (by pulling and so rotating the coil) till he is enabled to tit such link over the pin at the end of the scale, and this being done he detaches the portion at the desired point indicated by the scale.

As will readily be seen, the measurements are not confined to small lengths, as an entire coil could be measured by unwinding the coil in portions the full length of the particular scale and keeping count of the number of measurementsmade, the measured portion of the chain being allowed to fall over the end of the table. This, however, is very seldom required to be done. Of course it is not necessary to have the scale-divisions marked permanently on the surface of the table, as the operator could simply count any desired number of links backward from the end one fitted on a pin, make a chalk mark on the table at the required point, and then proceed to measure off a number of lengths without further counting.

Having disconnected the short lengths required, as before described, it now remains to rewind them into separate coils as compactly as possible for shipment, and to do this the winding and yielding resistance mechanism The winding now to be described is used.

IOO

mechanism consists ot a key or spindle made up of a head-piece J to project through the aperture oil in the table and above the surface of the same while winding, having a slit in it, as shown in Fig. il, to receive the end link, and its sides configurated to snit the shape of the center of the coil formed by the straight surfaces et, say, the first three or four links encircling it, the shape being approximatcly quadrangular. For ditl'erent sizes of links different-sized heads with same configuration must ot course be used, and, as shown in Fig. 5, the arrangement such that they can be screwed into the top of the plunger, preferably formed in two parts J J2, screwed together, ot' the spindle. The plunger rests on a spring Ji", confined within a sleeve .l which carries the pulley lli", cncircles the plunger and serves to rotate it through a pinJi',1nojectiug from the same into a slotj2 in the sleeve, this slot also serving to regulate the upward movement ot the plunger. The spindle secures a vertical bearing in a recessed foot-plate for the end of the sleeve J'1 and a boss on the under side of table A for the upper part J of the plunger.

J is a lever pivotcd atf to a hanger from the table A, slotted to encircle the part J" of the plunger and bearing when it is desired to depress same upon a collar J, secured beneath it to the part J. This spindle will be rotated by a band from any convcnientshafting to pulley It and under control oi' clutch mechanism, with which lever Q can be con neeted.

The mechanism for-eompaeting the ooit as it is wound consists of a roller X', mounted on a vertical spindle I', which projects up through slot a in the table from a slide L", having bearings in guideways on the under side of the table. The function ot' this roller in connection with such slide is to furnish a yielding pressure upon the coil while being wound, and I have shown a means of eltecting such a pressure and of regulating the ex tent of its application.

II? are what may be termed whif'fletrees"7 or.frames,77 (shown in front elevation and section in Figs. (i and 7,) to which and to the Slide U are connected the ends of strong retractile springs Ui. These frames are pivotally connected by screws zo wit-h nuts U, arranged to travel, on adjusting-screws lf", carried in suitable bearings, and provided with crankhandles operated through the openings o. c2.

lVhen a chain of very small length is to be wound, the roller X' will of course need to be brought at the start in close proximity to the winding-key, and when a longer one it will be moved farther away.

There is no other connection between the whifiletrees movable by the ad j usting-serews and the slide than the springs U3; but their rctractile force is such as to condense their ceiling to a stability sufiiciently rigid to impel the slide and roller in a direction from Vthe key, when desired, without collapsing `with one end lilik inserted in the slit the lnachine is started and the chain wound around the key, receiving at the same time thc pressure of the roller, which increases as the end approaches. As eacheoil is finished the lever .l5 is depressed so as to lower the head-piece .l beneath the table-surface, and so free coil, which is removed, and has its outer end secured in the usual way, leaving it ready ifor shipment.

lVhat I claim is as follows:

i. In a machine 'for preparing drivc-chains Vfor shipment, the combination, with a table, of a support for a coil ot' chain from which the same can be unwonnd, scaleindicators for measuring lengths of chain, a rotating' key with means for operating same, and a yielding-ln'cssure device whereby such lengths of chain can be compactly wound into coils.

L. In a machine for preparing drivc-ehains for shipment, the combination, with a table, of a spindle suitably supported, on which a coil of chain can be placed and rotated, one or more pins projecting from said table at a distance from such spindle, and means for indicating the point of detaclnnent ofy por tions of the chain from its coil, for the purpose described.

3. In a machine for preparing drive-chains tor shipment, the combination, Vwith a table, of a horizontal spindle suitably supported so as to extend at a convenient height across sam e, one or more pins proj eeting from such table at a distance from such spindle, and one or more scale-divisions marked 011 the surface of the table between said pins and a point beneath the spindle, for the purposes described.

i. The combination, with table A, spindle T, and its support, otl pins f l., as shown and described.

5. In a machine for preparing drive-chains for shipment, the combination, with la table, of a key or spindle to which the end link is connected and upon which the chain is wound, means for operating such key, anda yielding roller or shoe bearing against the coil and imparting friction thereto, for the purposes set forth.

t3. In a machine for preparing drive-chains for shipment, the con'ibination, with a table, of a key or spindle for winding the chain into a coil, means for operating such key,a yielding roller or shoe bearing against such coil and imparting frictionthereto, and means for regulating the extent of such frictional pressure, all as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a machine for preparing drive-chains for shipment, the combination, with table A, provided with slot u, and with means for winding the chain, of slide U, roller X', cai ried thereby, whiffietrecsliz, springs U3,and means for adjusting said slide and roller with ICO IIO

relation to the device for winding the chain, as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a machine for treating drive-chains, the combination, with a table on Which the chain rests edge upward, of a key or spindle projecting above the surface of suoli table and to which the end link is connected and upon which the chain is Wound, such key or spindle being adapted to be Withdrawn from the coil and leave the latter intact upon the table, and means for operating such key.

9. In a machine for treating drive-chains, the combination, with table A, on which the chain rests edge upward, and suitable bear JAMES DOUGLAS STORIE.

Witnesses:

'0. A. J oNns, CHARLOTTE JONES. 

